Author Topic: Recoil question (Read 1148 times)

Smokepole cowboy · « **on:** February 01, 2009, 02:19:01 PM »

If I can handle a 10" Contender in 30-30 can I handle a .44 magnum in 4 or 6"?
How much difference do you think there would be?
Thanks

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:27:37 AM »

I'd say, Probably.

The contender probably weighs more than the 44, so then recoil won't be(seem) as bad from it. Noise levels may be worse with the short barrel. Noise alone has made some folks not shoot a gun the second time or flich like all get out. I had this problem from a 10'' 7-08 in an Encore. Good Lord, that thang was loud! Recoil was about like my 44 mag barrel, but I had to sell it because I could handle the noise levels it generated!

HWD

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:35:11 AM »

i don't think a 6" .44 would be as bad a your contender, I've shot a .35 rem in a contender and didn't like it at all, comparably I like shooting my Ruger SBH .44.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2009, 11:55:43 AM »

In the real world there is little to compare between a TC and a revolver and whether it is a DA or SA makes far more difference. Just cuz one doesn't bother you doesn't mean the other won't. Ya really need to shoot them and see what you think of the recoil. I can take far far more recoil in a DA than a SA with less problem.

Smokepole cowboy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2009, 01:21:13 PM »

Thanks.
I was leaning more toward the DA, not so much for shooting DA but for loading and unloading ease.

hoggunner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2009, 02:45:49 AM »

GB
can you explain why a sa and da would have different recoils?
Hoggunner

Brett · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2009, 03:23:45 AM »

Quote from: hoggunner on February 08, 2009, 02:45:49 AM

GB
can you explain why a sa and da would have different recoils?
Hoggunner

I know the question was directed toward GB but the answer is simple. It is the position and shape of the grips that make a the SA 'fee' like it has more recoil in any given caliber.

Grumulkin · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:09:29 AM »

The recoil between a 30/30 Win. Contender and a 44 Rem. Mag. would be similar.

The big thing that determines how well recoil is handled is grip construction. I think grips are much better these days compared to years ago when I bought a Ruger Redhawk in 44 Rem. Mag. It made my hand bleed until I changed to Hogue Monogrips. On the other hand, I find a 460 S&W revolver comfortable to shoot because of grip design/construction.

buck460XVR · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:25:19 AM »

Quote from: Grumulkin on February 08, 2009, 05:09:29 AM

The big thing that determines how well recoil is handled is grip construction. I think grips are much better these days compared to years ago when I bought a Ruger Redhawk in 44 Rem. Mag. It made my hand bleed until I changed to Hogue Monogrips. On the other hand, I find a 460 S&W revolver comfortable to shoot because of grip design/construction.

I too bought a Ruger .44 back in the seventies and after trying to shoot it several times ended up trading it off for a SxS 20 gauge. The way the grip beat the web of my hand made it impossible for me to shoot it much even when wearing a glove. Spent the afternoon Friday shooting a coupla hundred stout rounds thru my S&W 629 5 weeks after breaking my thumb. It's all about grips and the way the gun fits your hand.

Hank08 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2009, 08:47:52 AM »

To me the .44 in double or single action doesn't recoil as much as a full load 170 gr. 30-30.
The single action grip design , especially the Bisley, to me is much more comfortable to shoot than any double action, but grips can make a lot of difference as can size of the hand and strength of the hand and arm. The only way you'll know is to try them both with full power loads.
H08

Autorim · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:29:41 PM »

Huntswithdogs,

I don't quite understand your statement about selling the firearm due to noise. Are you not wearing ear protection? If not you will pay a dear price. If you are wearing muffs and they are not enough,wear plugs and muffs. If I shot my .338 mag without ear protection I am sure it would be pretty loud. I wouldn't know because I have never done it.

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2009, 05:14:44 AM »

Autorim,
I got the 7 barrel with the intention of hunting with it. I know I probably should, but have never worn hearing protection while hunting. I fired this gun ONCE while wearing only ear plugs. I had been shooting wearing both and forgot to put the muffs back on that I'd taken off. When that gun went off, it felt like someone had cupped there hands and pounded my ears! Needless to say I didn't make that mistake again. As loud as it was, I couldn't see myself hunting with it, without having to go to wearing muffs and such while hunting.

HWD

leather5to1 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2009, 04:58:47 PM »

Recoil anticipation will ruin you if you let it, Don't be too afraid of it, I never met a person who couldn't handle a 44. The key is not to try and tame the gun, it is stronger than you. Let it go through its motion just hold on enough so it doesn't fly out of your hand. If you are scared of it you will develop a flinch.

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:32:53 AM »

Well, I don't recall shooting a 30/30 in a Contender, but did have a "super 14" in 35rem.

Now, after shooting that 35 rem a fair amount, the 44 just seemed like a Sunday School picknik by compairson.

I presently shoot a 5.5" Redhawk with 310grain LBT slugs and it just seems to shoot easier.

Now with the 310s at about 1300fps out of the RH, it would seem like it might be a bit harder to hang on to then the 35Rem with 180gr slugs and a 14" barrel, but it isn't.

I like the Contender, but it just seemed like it jumped around a good bit with the 35.

Would expect the 30/30 to be less so.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

Smokepole cowboy · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2009, 08:52:05 AM »

Well I purchased a Dan Wesson 6" .44 magnum and shot it today. I think it may recoil a little less than the .30-30 contender. It was not bad at all to shoot.
Now I wouldn't be a bit afraid to fire a couple of shots from the .500 Smith & Wesson.

chim · « **Reply #15 on:** February 14, 2009, 09:52:07 AM »

My Anaconda in .44 is not at all bad in the recoil department. I don't have a .30/30 barrel for my Contender, but the .35 Remington loads will wake you up. My Contender wears a Pachmayer grip and fore-end and is kinda fun to shoot offhand. I usually wrap my off hand over the barrel and it doesn't interfere with the scope. If I'm testing loads and shooting off a bench though, I make sure to have padding under my elbows. It felt like the gun was trying to drive my elbows into the bench on the first range trip with the .35 barrel.

A bud has a .500 S&W he wanted me to shoot with some stout CorBon loads. Two shots were enough for me. It actually hurt.

EDIT TO ADD: This reminds me. I picked up a .44 barrel for the Contender that I haven't tried.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #16 on:** February 14, 2009, 10:51:02 AM »

This really is a loaded question.
I have both a T/C and a 44 Revolver.
I have not shot the 14" 30-30 barrel yet. But I do have a 44 mag 14" and a S&W M29 with a 6" barrel.
The T/C with the wood and rubber grips has more recoil than does my M29 with the same ammo.
But that is my stuff. My M29 has smooth sided wood target grips that gives less felt recoil. I also think the revolver is heavier, and the T/C with the 14" is front heavy and my wrist muscles are being used to hold the front heavy T/C up and most of the weight of the revolver is in the frame and cylinder and little effort is placed in trying to lean the gun back. I feel the recoil in my wrists rather than through out my arms.
There are also other factors in what weight bullet are you shooting out of the 30-30 and what do you plan to shoot out of the 44?
170 grain bullets out of the 30-30 may be rough but the 125 grain reduced recoil rounds are not, the 180 grain Remington or Federal (do they still offer them?) are mild compared to the 300 grain hard cast lead rounds.
I got my 29 cheap as the guy who bought it the week before added the Pachmyer finger groved rubber stock. All the recoil was concentrated into a 5/8 inch area in your hand and it hurt. I replaced it with the wide wood stocks and you notice the recoil but 6 rounds do not hurt! With the PMC 240 grain FMJ Hollow cavity rounds. When shooting my friends Ruger super black hawk the gun would roll in my hand. But standard Colt type SA revolvers never really fit my hand. Rubber oversized grips fixed that for me.
Also I think the more you shoot the gun the less the recoil will feel as your musles get used to it.
So depending on configuration and weight of the gun and the load you use it could be easy or worse than the 30-30.
You can get some 44 S&W specials to try out of the 44 mag guns as a warm up to the mags. They are powder puffs and recoil is very mild.
Why do you ask? Are you looking to go from a T/C to a revolver?
I have shot most handguns and all of the big boys. The gun that scares me and I will not shoot it is the BFR in 450 Marlin. I will shoot the 45-70 or 500 versions one handed but something about cutting back on an elephant round (458 Win Mag) by 10-15% and shooting it out of a pistol that bothers me.

Smokepole cowboy · « **Reply #17 on:** February 14, 2009, 02:01:09 PM »

No, I am not going from the T/C to revolver. I am adding the revolver to the arsenal.

ol tarheel · « **Reply #18 on:** February 15, 2009, 01:17:39 PM »

Smokepole Cowboy: Congrats on your Dan Wesson .44 mag. I've had three over the years and was very fond of them all. Extended range sessions were just plain fun. I now have a DW .41 Mag DW which is also pure pleasure to shoot. How is yours set up?

Smokepole cowboy · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2009, 12:57:49 PM »

It is stock. Open sights, factory grips.